Quick Links

Rip fences (continued) rails. The fences that ride on angled rails that are part of the table casting are the least smooth. BETTER FENCES GLIDE MORE SMOOTHLY The midlevel fences are a step up in construction and operation. But the worst of this bunch is Delta's Sidekick, whose fence is harder to operate on its integral angled rail than its entry-level cousin. The locking lever on the Sidekick swivels, which is confusing when trying to keep the fence lined up parallel to the blade (top photo). Among the midlevel fences, the Sidekick and the Powermatic fences are not self-aligning. All the midlevel fences have larger cams, making them easy to lock down and stay put. Makita uses a combination of steel and plastic for its unique two-piece rear latch, which locks securely yet slides almost friction-free. But I found that their fence was not always self-aligning. Hitachi's fence belongs on a high-end saw. Made of thick aluminum stock, this fence is enhanced with a heavy cast front and rear locking bases. The large front cam applies pressure on the latch, but the leverage is nicely dampened by a thick silicone washer. Rigid plastic feet also assist the fric- tion-free glide of the fence (bottom photo). HIGH-END FENCES COME WITH EXTENSION TABLES Tough to pin down. The lever on Delta's Sidekick fence swivels, making it hard to keep the fence in position while securing it to the table. The high-end saws don't just have fences, but superb fence systems. Their fences work in combination either with extending tables or extending fence rails (these systems extend to the right of the blade, increasing rip capacity, and should not be confused with the sliding tables that are used for crosscutting on the larger table saws). All the high-end rip fences compare with my cabinet saw in quality, accuracy and smooth operation. I'll discuss these extensiontable systems in more detail in the next section on tables and rip capacity. Smooth gliding on plastic feet. Hitachi's fence has plastic feet that ride in a groove in the rail for silkysmooth operation. A large silicone washer dampens the locking mechanism. 64 FINE HOMEBUILDING Saw tables and rip capacity Tables on portable saws are made of lightweight aluminum either cast or extruded. But with the midlevel and high-end saws, the tables tend to get larger and heavier. Heavier tables are harder to carry, but they mean less vibration and smoother cuts. ENTRY-LEVEL SAWS HAVE SMALLER RIP CAPACITY Of the entry-level saws, the Tradesman table allows rips up to 11 in. The Grizzly table is equipped with a thin steel extension wing that bolts to the side of the table, allowing rips up to 19'/. in. But I found it difficult to adjust the extension wing flush with the main saw table. Grizzly's extension was also so flimsy that Wider capacity, but flimsy connection. Grizzly's extension table increases the rip capacity of the saw, but the table deflects under minimal pressure. Narrow rips only. ProTech's fence has to be completely engaged to its table to lock down securely, leaving it with a limited rip capacity. it deflected noticeably under just the force needed to lock the fence in place (top photo). ProTech's table provides for a maximum rip of only 9'/2 in., the narrowest of any saw tested (bottom photo). I could not secure ProTech's fence to the table unless it was completely engaged with the fence rail. The Delta has the same tabletop as the ProTech, but with its die-cast rail and fence system, Delta's rip capacity improves to 11'/. in. EXTRUDED ALUMINUM FLEXES MORE THAN CAST Although only one entry-level saw has a rip capacity of more than 12 in., the midlevel tables have average rip capacities well over 13 in. The tables on the midlevel saws are also larger in area Miter gauges are not created equal. The Delta Sidekick has a miter gauge (left) with a standard-size bar and adjustable stops for has adjustable stops but a smaller lighter-duty bar. Skil's miter gauge (right) is light duty with no stops. 90° and 45° angles. The Powermatic's miter gauge (center)